Boo Radley Quotes Analysis

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Pages: 4

Throughout this journal, one can predict that the kids of Maycomb will not meet Boo because he is locked up and because they fear him. Firstly, the children will not meet Boo because there is evidence indicating that he is locked up within the Radley household. One piece of this evidence is that none of the children have actually seen Boo with their own eyes. It is shown throughout the story so far that Arthur Radley is widely notorious in Maycomb, known all throughout the town, and yet Scout, Jem, nor Dill have ever seen him. This implies that Boo is kept within his home, as the kids would have noticed him around Maycomb at some point if he was not. Additionally, the manner of the entire Radley family illustrates evidence of Boo being confined …show more content…
Other rumors include considering him the reason for all small local crimes and that all the pecans that grew from his trees were poisonous. These tall tales and legends explain the irrational fear that children have of Boo, that they honestly believe such wild tales. Furthermore, the kids are scared Boo because they believe him to be violent and savage. Even ignoring the legends, the past of Boo makes him out to be a homicidal maniac. When Boo was young, he was part of a gang, terrorizing the town and hanging around the wrong crowd. When he was locked up in the house, it was said that one time he stabbed his father in the leg with a pair of scissors, and that “Mrs. Radley ran screaming into the street that Arthur was killing them all” (Lee 13). The gang activity and stabbing of his father shows that Boo has violent and dangerous tendencies, and give the children a reason to fear him. This also connects to why they are afraid of being near to the Radley place, as they think that Boo will come out and attack them if they come too close. Given these points, one can conclude and predict that the children will not meet Boo because he is locked up and because they are afraid of